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Medvedev to meet with Russian trade representatives

Earlier Vladimir Putin said that Russia had possibilities to protect its interests within the WTO over economic sanctions imposed by a number of European countries and the United States

MOSCOW, July 23, 0:32 /ITAR-TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will meet on Wednesday with Russia’s trade representatives in foreign states to discuss key tasks of trade missions to support non-raw materials and high technology exports, the press service of the Russian government said.

Apart from that, participants in the meeting will consider measures to involve small and medium-sized companies from Russian regions in export activities. Participants will also discuss “possibilities to ensure interests of Russian manufacturers using mechanisms of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other issues of foreign economic activity,” the press service said.

Participants will include First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov, presidential aide Andrei Belousov, Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev, Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, Minister of Agriculture Nikolai Fedorov, and others. CEOs from Russian companies with state participation have been invited to the meeting as well, the press service added.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia had possibilities to protect its interests within the WTO over economic sanctions imposed by a number of European countries and the United States. “We are a member of the World Trade Organization, which has certain rules, so, we have a possibility to protect our interests in the WTO,” the Russian president stressed.

As concerns partner relations within the WTO with other countries, Russia, according to Putin, would sign free trade zone agreements only when such agreements did not infringe upon the interests of domestic producers. “Of course, we should use all instruments of the WTO. I know that many long-standing members of the WTO know all the instruments that may help protect their economies and, of course, they do use them,” Putin said, adding that “extreme carefulness is needed here.” Some countries, in his words, seek to create free trade zones with Russia to promote their products on Russia’s enormous market.

“I would like to stress to make it clear to all farmers: we shall not do anything and we shall not make any decisions that would infringe upon your interests. We will establish new free trade zones only when we are sure they would yield balanced results,” the Russian president stressed.